6 Safety Tips For Fire Prevention In The Workplace

April 14, 2025
9 Min Read

Key takeaways

In 2020, 16,500 office & store fires led to $932 million in property damage.
A fire safety team & warden facilitate fire safety management.
Regular maintenance of fire protection systems is essential.
Employees should be trained in fire safety and participate in regular drills.
Fire safety resources ensure the fire alarm system is operational.

16,500 office and store fires resulted in $932 million in direct property damage. These concerning figures provided by the USFA necessitate the incorporation of more effective fire prevention strategies in the workplace. Fires often start with simple piles of paper collected on your desk or a bulk of garbage outside your building. Most employees believe it is not their job to address fire safety hazards and that someone else will handle it. This mindset puts many lives at risk, not to mention the disruption it causes businesses, which may face shutdowns for months. There are numerous horrifying fire incidents that might make one think twice about imagining themselves in those scenarios. Although some hazards, like wildfires, are beyond the control of building owners, most workplace fires can be prevented with basic safety measures such as properly storing flammable materials, keeping emergency exits clear, not overloading electrical outlets, educating employees about workplace fire safety, and other measures.

This guide will provide you with six basic workplace fire safety tips that one can implement to protect lives, assets, and a company’s reputation.

Tip 1: Have a Fire Safety Team

If your company has fewer than 60 people, it is necessary to at least assign the role of fire warden to a responsible person, such as the facility manager, safety manager, or even the human resources manager. Generally, the role of a fire warden is:

To identify any potential fire hazards in the workplace, such as overloaded outlets, blocked emergency exits, and fire sprinklers obstructed by densely packed ceilings, etc.
Educate employees on the emergency evacuation plan and conduct regular fire drills to prepare them for emergencies.
Regularly monitor the storage of hazardous chemicals and flammable materials.
Guide occupants, especially those with impairments, through the evacuation routes during a fire.
Activate the manual pull station if the automatic systems fail and notify the fire department.

Fire safety management becomes complex in high-occupancy buildings. In that case, a fire safety team is required to help the fire warden. They will be responsible for:

Ensuring that doors are closed behind them to prevent the spread of fire.
Making sure that exit doors are clear and assisting disabled and injured occupants to the assembly point.
Conducting regular inspections of fire extinguishers, fire sprinklers, smoke alarms, and detection devices.
Raising awareness about smoking policies, fire safety procedures, and fire evacuation plans.

Tip 2: Identify Fire Hazards

The NFPA outlines several common fire hazards to be aware of. Some of these include:

Electrical equipment in the office kitchen, including ovens, heating appliances, toasters, and coffee machines, can cause fires. Ensure they are turned off when not in use, as half of workplace fires occur in the office kitchen.

Keeping combustible materials like piles of paper or paper towels on desks, in electrical rooms, furnace rooms, boiler rooms, or near escape routes is dangerous. Always maintain a clean work environment.

Overloaded outlets, power strips, and excessive use of extension cords are among the most common causes of electrical fires. Avoid hiding wires under carpets. About 15% of workplace fires, resulting in 46% of direct property damage, occur due to electrical problems.

Arson fires may occur if bulk garbage is left outside the building, and park buildings are not locked at the end of the day.

Leftover smoking materials are a frequent fire hazard. Smoking should only be done in designated areas, and any leftover materials must be disposed of safely.

Tip 3: Regularly inspect and maintain Fire Protection Equipment.

The fire warden must regularly inspect fire safety equipment such as portable fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, fire alarms, and fire sprinklers. The last thing anyone wants is to grab an expired fire extinguisher for protection against a fire. Here is a detailed guideline for each equipment to ensure compliance with fire safety guidelines:

Fire Extinguishers

Confirm whether the number and type of fire extinguishers are sufficient to prevent fire, based on the needs of the workplace. Check that they are functional and easily accessible during a fire emergency each month.

Smoke Detector

Press and hold the test button on the smoke detector monthly to verify that it produces a beep sound. For a more thorough check, use a canned smoke spray near the smoke detector to see if it is triggered. Clean any dust or debris that may interfere with the detection process. If there are battery-operated smoke detectors, replace the batteries every six months.

Fire Alarms

Test the manual pull station to ensure that the fire alarms are functioning properly and that the sound is loud enough.

Fire Sprinkler System

Conduct monthly checks for blocked sprinkler heads and arrange for an annual inspection of fire sprinklers by a fire marshal to comply with local regulations.

Fire Alarm Control Panel

If a Fire Alarm Control Panel (FACP) is integrated into the fire alarm system, check for any trouble alerts showing on the panel and confirm that the indicator lights for each zone are functioning correctly.

Tip 4: Maintain the Evacuation Routes and Exit paths

The evacuation routes and emergency exits should be maintained per the safety regulations outlined by NFPA and OSHA. Some of the common safety standards are:

The stairs and hallways must be free of furniture, debris, and other combustible materials.
Exit paths should be clear of tripping objects such as loose rugs and electrical cables.
Exit doors should be adequately illuminated to enable occupants to evacuate swiftly.
Fire and exit doors must be functional, and directional signs should be posted in common areas such as break rooms and hallways.

Tip 5: Educate the Employees on Workplace Fire Safety

Providing a fire safety program for employees is mandatory by OSHA regulations. The training should include:

Identifying fire hazards.
Properly storing and handling flammable liquids and combustible materials.
Keeping the workplace clear of debris and paper files.
Implementing an emergency action plan that includes evacuation procedures and who to report to during an emergency.
Providing first aid for fire burns and smoke inhalation.
Knowing how to handle chemical and electrical fires and activate fire alarms.
Understanding how to use a fire extinguisher (PASS technique).
Familiarizing with the acronym RACER:
- R- Rescue people from the area where the fire has occurred.
- A- Activate the nearest fire alarm.
- C- Contain the fire by closing the door behind you.
- E- Extinguish the fire if it is small.
- R- Relocate to the assembly point.

Tip 6: Use Fire Safety Resources

It can be overwhelming to prevent fire hazards and maintain workplace fire safety for businesses. One must inspect and maintain all fire safety equipment, provide extensive training to employees on fire policies and safety guidelines, maintain evacuation routes, and the list goes on. Generally, any misplaced logs during the inspection of the fire alarm system can put the building’s continuity and occupants’ lives at risk. ZenFire offers a collection of free fire safety checklists, including fire alarm system functionality checklists, fire safety training documentation checklists, exit door functionality checklists, emergency lighting functionality checklists, and much more!

Conclusion

Incorporating simple fire prevention measures helps businesses to maintain a safe work environment and minimize the damage during an unfortunate fire. Appointing a fire warden, identifying and controlling fire hazards, maintaining fire protection equipment, keeping the evacuation route unobstructed, and giving proper education and training to employees on fire safety are simple yet effective steps to prevent workplace fires.

However, prevention isn’t the only factor in fire safety. Keeping accurate and up-to-date documentation to meet fire prevention standard regulations is also important to ensure that your facility is always safe and prepared for annual inspections.

Fire protection management software like ZenFire streamlines fire safety inspections with NFPA-compliant forms and automated checklists to help ensure that you are always fire-ready within your workplace.

Schedule a free demo with ZenFire and simplify your fire safety management today!